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The 51��Ƶ at Lafayette Alumni Association will honor Bryan Hanks at its 2023 Spring Gala. Hanks is a 1981 graduate of the University and the owner and president of BETA Land Services.
 
Spring Gala will be held from 6-10 p.m. on Saturday, March 25, at the UL Lafayette Alumni Center, 600 E. St. Mary Blvd. This is the event’s 26th year. Proceeds benefit UL Lafayette Alumni Association initiatives.
 
Spring Gala will feature fine food, cocktails, live music, and live and silent auctions. Art, gifts, travel opportunities and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns merchandise are among the items that will be up for bid. 
 
The evening will include special appearances by former Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, including Yvette Girouard, softball; Jonathan Lucroy, baseball; Hollis Conway, track and field; and Raymond Calais, Kevin Dotson, Robert Hunt, Brian Mitchell, Elijah Mitchell and Max Mitchell, football.
 
Born, raised and educated in Lafayette, honoree Hanks “is a true Ragin’ Cajun,” said Amy Armstrong, associate vice president for Alumni Engagement and CEO of the Alumni Association. 
 
“Bryan has a knack for combining a joint passion for his profession and his alma mater into actions that have a lasting impact. He brings his experience, relationships and business expertise to his various service roles at UL Lafayette. We are thrilled to recognize this exceptional alumnus as this year’s Spring Gala honoree,” Armstrong said. 
 
Hanks is past chairman of the Ragin’ Cajuns Athletic Foundation. In that role, he led efforts to raise more than $60 million in public and private funds to benefit the renovation of Cajun Field, now Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. He is now a member of the RCAF Executive Committee and continues to advocate for the University’s athletic facilities, programs and student-athletes. 
 
He is also incoming chairman of the UL Lafayette Foundation Board of Trustees. 
 
Professionally, Hanks is a certified professional landman with over 41 years of experience in the energy industry. As president of BETA Land Services, he has managed hundreds of projects and led over 120 corporate acquisitions and mergers totaling more than $40 billion since 2010. 
 
He is a nationally recognized industry leader in energy transition, pioneering developments in such areas as carbon sequestration, solar, wind, LNG and hydrogen in over 39 states and in Canada. . 
 
To attend the 2023 Spring Gala, call (337) 482-0900 or .  
 
The chair of this year’s gala is Mark D. Mouton, president-elect of the UL Lafayette Alumni Association. Past president Mary Galyean is auction chair and Annie Perret is serving as co-chair.